EDA counts nearly $20 million in investment, 91 new jobs in 2016

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 13 January 2017 at 1:27 pm

Photos by Tom Rivers: The new Pride Pak vegetable and fruit processing plant on Maple Ridge Road was the largest economic development project in Orleans County in 2016. The new 68,000-square-foot facility represented a $12.5 million investment.

ALBION – The Orleans Economic Development Agency said 2016 was a big year for the agency with nearly $20 million invested by businesses and 91 new jobs created in the county.

“It was a very good year,” Jim Whipple, EDA chief executive officer, said this morning.

Pride Pak opened a new 68,000-squarefoot vegetable and processing facility on Maple Ridge Road in November. The facility represented a $12.5 million investment and the EDA said it created 80 jobs.

Pride Pak may do two additional expansions in the future.

The EDA board of directors met this morning and EDA staff went over highlights from 2016.

In addition to Pride Pak, the EDA cited a $5 million investment by Helena Chemical for a new facility in Ridgeway on Allis Road. That project will create seven jobs, according to the EDA.

Also in Ridgeway, Sierra Biological took over a former auto repair shop on Swett Road and turned it into a nematode growing facility. The company invested $250,000 and created one job.

On the other side of the county, Karl Driesel opened a new woodworking shop and showroom on Kendall Road in Kendall. The site is a new 5,884-square-foot building for Orleans Millworks. It represents a $500,000 investment and created a new job.

The EDA counted $18,625,000 in total investment with 91 new jobs in the county in 2016.

That doesn’t include a loan to help BCA Ag Technologies with its relocation from Oakfield to Route 31A in Albion. The company is investing $375,000 and created two jobs as part of its expansion, the EDA said.

Several projects could also come to fruition this year in Orleans County, EDA officials.

Holley Gardens, the conversion of the former Holley High School into apartments and offices for the Village of Holley, tops the list for investment at $16 million. That project would add two positions. The developer, Home Leasing of Rochester, is waiting to hear if federal tax credits will be available to help make the project more affordable.

Nelson Leenhouts, chairman and CEO of Home Leasing, addresses a crowd on Nov. 11 outside the former Holley High School. Leenhouts wants to redevelop the site into senior apartments and the village offices.

Home Leasing wants to create 41 mixed-income apartments for seniors, new village office space, and restore the auditorium for public events.

• The EDA identified other projects for 2017, including a $3.5 million investment by Niagara Food Specialties in the former Atwater Foods facility in Yates, at the corner of Route 18 and the Orleans-Niagara Countyline Road. Niagara Food would add 20 jobs as part of the project.

• A developer may also commit to building a new hotel in Medina, next to Pride Pak on Maple Ridge Road. That $4 million project would add 4 jobs, according to the EDA.

• The EDA also said the following companies are looking at expansions or significant investments in Orleans: H.H. Dobbins in Lyndonville, Western New York Energy in Medina, WNA (formerly Precision Packaging Products) in Holley, Snappy in Medina, and Arbre Group Holdings (Holli-Pac and Holley Cold Storage) in Holley.